What Communities Can Do That Systems Cannot

There is a quiet truth that has threaded itself through every space I have worked in, from neighbourhood gatherings to strategy sessions in government offices. The truth is that systems can provide structure, expertise and resources, but they cannot generate the ordinary human experiences that make young people feel held by the world around them.

Only communities can do that.

When young people speak about the moments that changed them, they rarely talk about appointments, programs or reports. They talk about the neighbour who noticed they had been unusually quiet. They talk about the teacher who remembered their birthday. They talk about a volunteer who listened without rushing to offer advice. They talk about the local business owner who came out from behind the counter to greet them by name. These interactions are small in scale yet expansive in meaning. They form the foundation of belonging.